Rain, Predators, Tag and Bag

Rachel catching broilers and putting them in crates

 It has been awhile since our last blog. We apologize but we have been putting in 14 hours or more a day here at the farm. Sounds like a lot but time flies and we are still learning more and more. The title of this blog post is Rain, Predators, Tag and Bag 

Justin helping catch broilers

because that is what has defined these past couple weeks. Other exciting things happened as well! We put the first set of broilers out onto pasture. They are absolutely loving it and are doing really well. Once they go out on pasture in their shelters there are rarely any deaths. We wrangled all the chicks into crates and shipped them off to the other farm where they are enjoying plenty of sunshine,

broilers in their crates

 grass, feed, and water. They are growing by leaps and bounds! We will be processing them in a couple weeks (sometime in June) so that is something exciting to look forward to as well. We are getting into the rhythm of moving animals everyday. The animals love all the movement and fresh pasture and land.

Pigs love grass too!

 Rachel found the first egg laid by the layer ducks at the Bird Haven farm! They are about 5 months and will be laying in full swing by 6. We are starting to get about 8 to 10 a day. On a darker note Rachel also discovered the first attack by an unknown predator. She was doing chores and found 22 dead! Something got inside and had a fun old time with them. We think it was a raccoon or a dog. Fox was excused because they usually only take one animal and run away with 

Broiler chicks out on pasture in their shelters!

Rachel with the sheep

Thought this was a funny picture, the one chicken who
got out was rewarded... just how it goes sometimes.
All the other chickens are clearly upset.

 it. The predator problem has stopped and the ducks are looking happy again. Now we just have to keep the crows away from their eggs! Looks like we will have to combat that by waking up earlier than them. Ya!!! Speaking of happy ducks the amount of rain we had this week probably helped raise their spirits as well. It down poured for 3 days straight. We were starting to get used to being soaked down to our underwear when it finally let up.

 The humans didn't like it much but the ducks and the pigs went berserk! It's really fun watching them wallows and play in the mud and water.

Matt getting wood chips with the bucket
 on the tractor for the brooder
to get it ready for the next round of Broilers

 We also received our next shipment of broiler chicks. They are doing very well, even better than the first batch. One morning Matt noticed that they weren't acting normal and crowding around the waterers. He discovered that the cistern ran dry. The pump to pump water from the river is broken so he quickly jimmy rigged some old jug waterers and carries water to them every morning. It was a close call but no chicks were lost even

Hog Heaven (seriously though, these are some happy pigs)

The ducks first egg!

 though they were without water over night. It is really starting to come to life at the farm, birds, butterflies, bears and all kinds of animals are fluttering around. Yes I said bears! Rachel is so excited. There was a great eastern black bear sighted by Jordan in a back field. 

These butterflies are everywhere! The Virginia state butterfly the Tiger Swallowtail.

New shipment of broilers!

 He thought one of the cows got loose (yes it was that big) and realized it was a bear. The field used to be called "the back field", but now we all call it "bear field".

Real life peeps

 But the biggest event of the past 2 weeks was the sheep's, "tag and bag". It took the whole first half of the day and I think Rachel and I are still sore from it. 

Trimming hooves (pedicure)

 The day started with Rachel helping to separate the male from female lambs. While going through over 100 of the lambs, Matt was wrangling the ewes. It's not too bad at first but after diving/tackling/catching over 100 ewes you get beat up pretty quick. After the ewe was caught Matt would flip the sheep onto her side and hold her down with his knee.

 Some fought more than others, but some really enjoyed their pedicures. We clipped their hooves and gave them their de-wormer.  

Males and females successfully separated

Josh and his son helping move ducks

 At the same time this was happening Rachel was doing the "tag" part. She was giving all the girls and boys their first tags on their ears.We did so that we could later quickly identify how old and what sex they are.

 Then the best part of the "tag and bag" experience came. The "bag" part. Jordan showed us by demonstrating with a couple of male sheep. He then left us to do our dirty work. Rachel castrated one sheep. Clair castrated a few.

Sheep relaxing after their "tag and bag" experience. We call this field the vineyard

 But Matt motivated by a heart-felt understanding pain was the quickest at doing it, so he castrated over 40 sheep. It sounds painful, but the sheep is more concerned about being in captivity then the 10 to 15 seconds of pain he experiences.

Pigs got out on Sunday when we tried to go early
to his parents house in PA. Same day the broiler
waterers ran dry and the predator killed all the ducks!

 If the male sheep are not castrated (a castrated sheep is called a wether) it taints the taste of the meat. There are several techniques used in the agricultural world. Banding, we don't band sheep with a rubber band because they are in pain for 2 weeks instead of minutes. We don't crush them, for obvious reasons. And we don't cut the entire bag off because it bleeds profusely.

"Big Boy" newly purchased bull

River flooding

 We cut the bottom of the bag off and rip the family jewels out. I know I know that sound horrible, but it actually allows the bleeding to stop almost immediately. and is very quick. It was good to see all of them running around and playing the next day. Matt is now certified to perform vasectomies if anyone is interested.

Rachel driving the tractor by herself for the first time!

Rachel putting wood chips in the pavilion for the sows

We put all the sows together after being separated
for months "happy reunion"

 We did some more work on the Farm Store. It is almost finished! It was nice being inside while it poured outside. It will be done by the end of the month in time for the farm's "Moovie Night". There will be a movie on a projector screen outside, with farm provided food, a live band, and a couple local vendor selling their products. It will be fun!

Duck Heaven

Morel Mushroom!

 Our manager Mark, is a "shroomer". He has been hunting for the coveted Morel Mushroom for weeks, without any success. Rachel and I decided to go out and hunt on our lunch break a couple of days ago. Within 15 minutes of our search Matt found a morel and about 5 minutes later Rachel found one too! 

 Needless to say Mark was very upset that we so easily found them. But later that night he found one so his anger subsided. They were fun to look for and find. It was the first time we went mushroom hunting. We also found out that they sell for $280 a pound. The two mushrooms we found were worth about $18. And they are also delicious!

 To end the week off right Matt got the tractor stuck. Stuck really well actually. It took a couple of chains and a skid steer to get it out. Jordan said, "as your penance you can wash the tractor off."
It was a good learning experience... 

Matt doing surgery

Matt putting up insulation, also his massive leg

If its up on Matt THAT far you know its good grass!

Matt checking the silo levels!

Well here we are coming to the end of another exciting 2 weeks. We can only imagine what the next weeks will bring, but we are looking forward to it! Thanks for reading! Hope to see you next time we post!
           We have videos this week check them out!!!
                         Here are the links:
Rachel crossing the flooded river
Piglet in the Feeder
Piglets in the Woods
Matt Clearing the River